Animal Kingdom centers on 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (Cole), who moves in with his freewheeling relatives in their Southern California beach town after his mother dies of a heroin overdose. Headed by boot-tough matriarch Janine “Smurf” Cody (Barkin) and her right-hand Baz (Speedman), who runs the business and calls the shots, the clan also consists of Pope (Hatosy), the oldest and most dangerous of the Cody boys; Craig (Robson), the tough and fearless middle son; and Deran (Weary), the troubled, suspicious “baby” of the family. Also prominent are Nicky (Gordon), J’s steady girlfriend, and Catherine (Alonso), Baz’s de facto wife and the mother of their 3-year-old daughter, Lena.

It isn’t long before Josh is pulled into the family’s life of indulgence and excess, but he soon discovers that it’s all being funded by criminal activities. Joining the family comes with more danger and excitement than he might be ready to handle.

Animal Kingdom is produced by John Wells Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television, with Emmy(R) winner John Wells (TNT’s Southland, ER, The West Wing, Shameless) and Jonathan Lisco (TNT’s Southland, Halt and Catch Fire, Damages, NYPD Blue) serving as executive producers of the series, along with Etan Frankel (Shameless, Southland) and Christopher Chulack (ER, Southland). Wells directed the pilot from a script by Lisco. Andrew Stearn (TNT’s Southland, Shameless) also executive-produced the pilot. The project is inspired by the award-winning feature film produced by Liz Watts and written & directed by David Michôd, who also serve as executive producers on the series.

What do you think? Do you like the sound of TNT’s new Animal Kingdom TV show? What did you think of the trailer? Do you plan to watch the Animal Kingdom series premiere?

Seen the pilot and it absolutely sucks. Ellen Barkin looks mummified with the acting chops to match, and the rest of the cast is turgid and not believable. It’ll be cancelled after one season. Really sad to see these networks thinking that the SOA and Breaking bad fan base will just follow along out of the desperate need to be “entertained”…oh yeah, maybe they’re right.